The Irish standard., 1887-01-15


had departed, and by which this new
conner had entered. AS he stood on the
threshold, half out, half in, he said, in
jeering tone:
"Well! you'll not part the gits?'
..Aih?"
"Aih, yourself. Won't you part the
ingits?'
s.Och!-Noa!"
The door was instantly slapped to by
the departing guide with q burst OF con-
temptuous laughter.
Shine now gazed on the stranger. He
was an exceedingly tall, awkwarlly con~
etructed fellow-presenting. as he stood
bolt upright near the door, returning
SHINES open stare with an air OF per-
fectly stupid sheeplsness, his long. .gaunt
arms hanging before him, aud his bony,
coarse, aud huge-knuckled fingers en-
ployed in beating time upon the front
Of a patched and glossy pair of corduroy
.ssmall clothes'-presenting, we may
say, a picture of helpless and anxious
stupidity, which perhaps could not ap-
proach shade nearer to the verge OF
positive idiotcy than it did; and which :,
by the very lingering hue of reason
which formed the distinction, was more
striking and pitiable in its effect than the
absolute consummation Of imbecility
would have been.
"Who was that left us, friend?" said
Mr.. Shine, after having perfectly salts
fed his curiosity by perusal of the
strange figure and features Of the vision
that was thus unexpectedly conjured up
before him. ''Do you know that Youth?"
SIS it Awney Farrell you name? To
be sure I do. He's kind O. saryint and
cornrnerade O mine'' And peering On
the preacher through his beetlihg eye
brows with that air OF low cunning
which becomes the countenance OF a
fool as gracefully as rouge would the
cheek of corpse. he sauntered in q
sham bling, awkward gait toward the
chimney corner, where he took his seat
ON the heb, spread his great skeleton
hands before the blaze. and clattered
them together occasionally, in the vain
effort to bring back the blood into their
rigid and obstructed channels. =.
Presently, the preacher being still
occupied i'll wondering perusal of the
person and action OF the stranger, he
Dire from the breast Of his gray frieze
coat small piece OF yellow shining
metal, which the active mind Of the for~
mer, assisted by many wavering recol-
lections of the regal evidences frequent
ly discoved in the widest bogs and quar-
ries OF the country Of It's former wealth
and splendour, instantly stamped with
the authority of gold. He Was not i'll
ducea to change his opinion by what
followed.
I'm poofman,'' said the stranger.
"and in want o mains to carry me to
MY people, down near Dublin; an I'm
told J. nave more than the worth o my
expenses in this. [ think it's nothing
but brass, but more tells me it's raal
gold. May be you'd look at, sir?'
Shine examined the metal, and satis-
fed himself to his great astonishment.
that it was indeed an ingot OF pure
gold.
Sits brass. isn't it, sir?'' repeated the
stranger, who had been anxiously glanc-
ing from the ingo5 20 the preachers eyes
while the latter was estimating the value
OF the metal.
"What is your name, friend?' asked
Slime, eluding the query.
eMy name?" echoed the man distrust-
fu]ly--sOh, what has that to say to the
ingot?"
"Why are you unwilling to tell me?'
eft [ thought said the stranger,
pausing for some time i'll mood Of sto-
lid deliberation-''taat I'd be safe to
tell you-and indeed, by the looks o.
you, I think would
"You may depend upon me- said his
companion.
"May 1? Oh, we'll sure that's enough
to satisfy anybody. My name is Mac
O'Neil. An if I thought it safe-but
sure you say it is-I'd tell you where
a great deal more o the same kind
might be had.''
The person accosted felt, at the same
time. a: deep emotion Of pity for the
simplicity of the owner Of the treasure
and strong temptation to render
him an object Of still greater compass
sion. by making his own use OF the
intelligence he should convey. He en-
couraged him, therefore, to proceed,
and Nancy Mac O'Neil, after sundry
misgiyings, yentured to make the con-
fdeuce he asked.
tsThere's some years since I was q
prentice wild mason by trade-and